Chemical sensors

In the broadest definition, a sensor is an object whose purpose is to detect events or

changes in its environment and sends the information to the computer which then tells
the actuator (output devices) to provide the corresponding output. A sensor is a device
that converts real world data (Analog) into data that a computer can understand using
ADC (Analog to Digital converter).

The chemical sensor plays an essential role in the fields of environmental

conservation and monitoring, disaster and disease prevention, and industrial analysis.

A chemical sensor is a device that transforms chemical information, ranging from the
concentration of a specific sample component to total composition analysis, into an
analytically useful signal. The chemical information, mentioned above, may originate
from a chemical reaction of the analyte or from a physical property of the system
investigated. A physical sensor is a device that provides information about a physical
property of the system. A chemical sensor is an essential component of an analyzer. In
addition to the sensor, the analyzer may contain devices that perform the following
functions: sampling, sample transport, signal processing, data processing. An analyzer
may be an essential part of an automated system. The analyzer working according to a
sampling plan as a function of time acts as a monitor. Chemical sensors contain two
basic functional units: a receptor part and a transducer part. Some sensors may include
a separator which is, for example, a membrane. In the recepror part of a sensor the
chemical information is transformed into a form of energy which may be measured by
the transducer. The transducer part is a device capable of transforming the energy
carrying the chemical information about the sample into a useful analytical signal.
The transducer as such does not show selectivity.

The most important property of a chemical sensor is selectivity. Selectivity is the

ability to respond to only one chemical in the presence of other species.

Chemical sensors fall into several important catagories:

Calorimetric sensors (measuring the heat evolved from a reaction, often using a
catalyst)

Electrochemical sensors (measure voltage, current or conductivity)

Biological sensors (chemical sensors used for biological applications)

Example of a calorimetric sensor application (detecting Glucose) :

Consider an enzyme coated thermistor using an immobilised oxide.The enzymes are

in the tip of the thermistor, which is in turn enclosed in a glass jacket to reduce heat
loss. A similar sensor but without the Enzyme loading is placed as reference. Sensors
are placed in a Whetstone bridge (which is a sensitive measure of resistance changes).

The temperature increases by dT as a result of a chemical reaction proportional to the

change in enthalpy dH.
dT= -dH/Cp (where Cp = heat capacity)

dH is specific to the chemical reaction, in this case:

-D-glucose + H 20 + O2 H2O2+d-glucinic acid H1

H2O2 1/2 O2 + H2O H2

Where H1and H2 are the partial enthalpies (dH=H1+ H2).The sensor response
is linearly dependent on the glucose concentration.

A potentiometric sensor is a type of chemical sensor that may be used to determine

the analytical concentration of some components of the analyte gas or solution. These
sensors measure the electrical potential of an electrode when no voltage is present.
Potentiometric sensors use the effect of the concentration on the equilibrium of redox
reactions occurring at the electrodeelectrolyte interface of an electrochemical cell. The
redox reaction takes on the electrode surface:

Oxidant + Ze- => Reduced product ,where Z is the number of electrons involved in
the redox reaction

The NernstEquation( gives the potential of each half cell):

log C
RT
E E0 0
nF C e
R

Co is the oxidant concentration

C R is the Reduced Product Concentration

n is the number of electrons

F is the Faraday constant

T is the temperature

R is the gas Constant

E 0 is the electrode potential at a standard state.

In a potentiometric sensor, two half-cell reactions take place at each electrode. Only
one of the reactions should involve sensing the species of interest. The other should
be a well understood reversible and non-interfering reaction

References:
 http://www.ph.unimelb.edu.au/~daewe/sensors/prot/lectures/lecture09.pdf

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sensor

http://www.uta.edu/rfmems/BMC/0720/Background/Chemical%20sensors
%20definitions%20and%20classification.pdf

Proceedings of the International Meeting on Chemical Sensors, Fukuoka, Japan,

September 19-22, 1983, Editors: T. Seyma, K. Fueki,J. Shiokawa and S. Suzuki,
Elsevier-Kodanscha, Amsterdam and Tokyo, 1983

H. Wohltjen, Chemical Microsensors and Microinstrumentation, Anal. Chem.,

%,87A, 1984

W.R. Seitz, Chemical Sensors Based on Immobilized Indicators and Fibre Optics,
CRC Critical Reviews in Anal. Chem., 19, 135, 1988

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Potentiometric_sensor

C. Nylander, Chemical Sensors and Biological Sensors, J. Phys. Sci. Instr., Is,
736, 1985